Bloodthirsty Bounty
by S. A. Morley
Summary: The Hirivion have begun to overtake galaxies, and the Federation has taken notice. The Feds don't realize how much chaos will reign after Cray Jack, a Hirvion, escapes from their blockade of his home planet. Now, he's a fugitive, and being stalked by Hunters from all across the universe... including Samus.
1. Prologue: Taken Prisoner

**This story was not thought of by me at all. I give all credit to Chris the Cat, whom developed this brilliant idea in his mind, not me. I am, however, responsible for the writing of it, the character development and appearance, and also being nice enough to halt some of my other stories to start this one. **

** Well! Here we go... Chapter One.**

I didn't know what else to do. There seemed to be no way out of this place. I sprinted down the halls, breath like fire in my lungs as my feet ached. My foot throbbed from my missing back claw, that stupid Feather moron had ripped it from my toe. Blood was soaking my ankles and creating a trail on the floor of offed splats.

The corridors were dark, the monitors on either one of the enclosing walls flaring a snarling picture of me. The voice on the intercoms was bluntly repeating my name, "Cray Jack has escaped. We must find him at all costs."

I swore under my breath, hearing heavier footsteps coming around the corner. I skidded to a stop, jerking my head to the side and darting into a gap in the wall. Panting, I clutched my chest, heaving in air to my searing body. I felt my shaggy hair sticking to my neck from the sweat I was secreting. This sucked like no other.

I looked down at my dark skinned wrist, which supported a jagged cut. I was bleeding all over the place: my missing ear, broken tooth, absent claw, torn up wrist, and just as I thought more about it, my stomach slash started to gush again. I was starting to get dizzy.

These Feather cracks weren't bounty hunters, they were bloodthirsty beasts.

I peeked around the corner, expecting nobody. But then I felt a hand clamp around my throat. I widened my trio of eyes on either side of my head, gurgling and struggling to be able to breathe again.

My fidgeting stare rose to the nine foot tall behemoth cyborg-soldier known as N'rock. His single glowing, red eye was merciless as he parted his lips, revealing nasty, metal, sharp teeth. "There ya are, Cray! I've been lookin' fer ya! The Captain'll be wantin' to scold ya fer bein' a bad boy..." he chuckled a hiss, dragging me behind him as I squirmed and gasped. "Shouldn'ta gotten outta yer cell..."

"I... didn't want to go in there... in th' first place... smart a-!" I wheezed, trying to scratch his fingers from my neck. I drew some blood, but it was acidic, and sizzled my hands. I cut off once they did.

"Now, now, Jack. We ain't gonna hurtcha, just wanna collect sommat cash, is all. As long as we got ya, we git 'e pay. Kapeesh?" He turned his bowl-shaped, disfigured cranium towards me. "Unnerstand, _sludge?"_

I grinned my fangy smile. "'Course I do, piss off!" I glared into his cold, robotic soul. Well, if he even had one. Retarded machine... "I'm not stupid, if that's what you mean! At least I don't drag my feet when I walk!" I motioned with my eyes towards his skidding left boot on the floor.

Suddenly N'rock's smirk disappeared, and my sight exploded in a flurry of white as he punched me heavily in the eyes. I yelled in pain, reaching up and trying to protect them from further damage. Seeing as I have six of them, they were each freakishly sensitive. "Dangit, you idiot, that hurt!" I screeched.

He pulled his fist back. "S'post ter hurt, filth. That's what vermin like you deserve for being so naughty!"

I sniggered, disregarding the pain that was splitting my skull. "Really N'rock? You're using th' word _'naughty?'_ What a childish, immature-"

"SHUT UP!" he bellowed, hucking me into a wall. I sunk into the steel easily, the spines on my back cracking. "You ain't gonna tell me what ter do, hear?"

I rolled onto my stomach, grimacing and rubbing my spikes. Several were split, but only a select few of the smaller ones near my thighs were completely gone. I looked away from them lying wet with crimson on the ground next to me.

"Git up, stupid! Captain's waitin' fer ya!" N'rock growled, tapping his miraculously huge foot on the floor with thudding _plunks. _I glowered at him with a bleeding eye, sneering.

"What are we going t'do there? 'Ave a little tea party? I'll bring th' extra suga if ya fetch th' outfits, miss." I jeered, standing up slowly and watching him. N'rock was an extra foot taller than me, though I didn't care. His lack of smarts made him the number one thick-headed army dog I've ever encountered. He was easy to anger, and I liked doing it. "I say, you'd look ravishing in pink."

I thought I saw the robot flush scarlet, but maybe it was the gleam of his one eye. He clenched his jaw and seized my dripping wrist, yanking me behind him and down the hall. "I ain't speakin' ter you no more." he gruffly mumbled.

I whistled. "Aww, did I hurt little N'rocky's feelings? I didn't want to be _that_ mean," _Well... maybe a bit... _I smiled to myself. Was my Australian accent weighing down his mind? I certainly hoped so. _Hmm..._

N'rock towed me behind him till we arrived at an elevator. It was active, with bright lights to label each of the many floors on this forsaken ship. He pressed the button that would lead us to the Captain's deck, where that douche bag of a man resided and commanded the hapless losers who worked on this heap of space junk. I sighed, blowing my deep red locks out of my face. The lift chugged upward with creaks that made this ride that much more enjoyable.

I looked at N'rock, who was blankly staring at the hologram on the side of the elevator. I flexed my fingers. They popped beneath his death grip on my wrist. I tightened my free fist, then brought it up and clocked him straight in the eye that protruded from his deformed helmet.

The abomination cried out, blindly whipping his head around. I had completely destroyed the only way he could see, and ducked beneath his swooping arms as he attempted to grab me. I then wrapped my fingers around his ankles and threw him out of the shaft. His wails died away as he drifted farther from where I was. I huffed. Boy he was heavy!

I immediately set to work and fumbled with the buttons on the contraption. I pressed the bay landing, prepared to steal a ship and be free of this Hell on a vessel. I had been tortured, interrogated, and meagerly fed. But when I was given nourishment, it was rotten and slimy.

Anyway, I shoved my finger onto the icon, relaxing as the lift ground to a halt and began to drop slowly. I leaned heavily against the back wall, closing my eyes and savoring the short, quiet moment.

I was quite right about the short part, for suddenly the elevator stopped, and a huge mechanical hand emerged from the darkness and grabbed me. "What the-?" I howled before it took me into its grasp, removing me from the lift abruptly.

I looked around the finger, seeing the hulking suit that one of the personnel was controlling from within. His crooked, yellow teeth were fixed into a fearsome snicker as he heckled, "You've gotta do better than that to get away from me and my pay check, Cray Jack!"

I heard a whirring from behind me, and had a small range to look around. I got to see what it was, the lift coming back down with someone occupying it.

It was the Captain.

He was holding what seemed to be a shotgun, and was aiming it towards me with a cool, yet dangerous simper on his face. "Heya, Jack. Just thought I'd let you sleep off this problem you've gotten yourself into..."

"Sleep? Wha-"

I cut off as he shot a KO dart into the back of my neck.

_**Blackout**_


	2. Vacation to Arondite

**Hope people who have read this enjoy it. I think it's entertaining and fun! Keep reading! (especially you Christ the Cat!) :P By the way, this is set two months prior to the Prologue.**

_Two months previously..._

I sighed, now it was time for some well earned rest. After months battling Phazon corruption and the endless attacks of Leviathan Seeds on a plethora of planets, I was dead beat. I had just escaped through the wormhole with the Federation, evaded Phaaze's catastrophic explosion, and confirmed that my mission was finally done.

I cuddled into my chair. It was amazingly comfortable now, without my Varia Suit on. I smiled and exhaled with pleasure as the purr of the engine made me drowsy. I wanted to fall asleep, but seeing as I had to celebrate my conquering of Dark Samus, I forced myself to stay awake.

My ship was piloting me to a planet that was very popular: Arondite. I think it was somewhat named after Sir Lancelot, a Knight of the Round Table, back in King Arthur's time. He was courageous, smart, and handsome. Although, this place was everything but heroic and saintly. It was grungy and filled with hoodlums and shady places. Bunches of thugs from across the stars gathered just to hang out while smoking and drinking.

Why was I going there? Because there's the best bar in the Kaormine county, and I like to take care of some disgusting perverts that prowl on the occasional woman that walks on Arondite. I loved seeing their faces once they find out I'm Samus Aran, intergalactic bounty hunter and a _girl _who can kick some major butt.

I smirked to myself as my fighter lowered us through the almost nothing atmosphere and into one of the only protected ship docking acres. Troops from the planet's defense system were standing here and there, at alert if anyone tried to steal a vessel. I landed in a barren spot, between a crudely crafted carrier, and a sleek, iron ship that blinded anyone who gazed into its shine.

After composing myself and dropping the hatch, I stepped onto the reddish soil of Arondite. The alcohol heavy air stung my nostrils, my eyes watering in the slightest. I ignored it and started to walk towards the renowned tavern _Brig._

Crunching through the crimson gravel, I got another look at Arondite. I hadn't been here in a while, and recognized the orange tinted sky, fluffy golden clouds and the piercing sun. Buildings littered the earth, all broken down and grubby with dirt. This place wasn't pretty, but one could have a good time if you were careful enough. Which luckily, I was.

I pushed open the double doors of Brig, immediately hearing talk and drunken laughter. I witnessed many heads turning towards me, and then was battered with whistles and inappropriate hoots from the large counts of men. I had forgotten that I was wearing my sapphire Zero Suit, which was tight fitting and really let me show off my curves. I don't want to sound gross, but I kind of liked the attention; it was better than being feared inside of that armor I always clanked around in.

I strolled inside. The place was laden with trinkets and knick-knacks that didn't make sense, and everything within was tainted a gag inducing green. Shelves cluttered the walls, and on the shelves were more of the junk that was meaningless. The tables were worn and rugged, with the stools mismatched and tackily colored. It was claustrophobically packed with all kinds of aliens.

_Prey. _I smiled to myself beneath my hair that obscured my face from several admirer's views. It was pulled into a high ponytail, placed on the crown of my head and falling down my back thickly. My bangs were resting neatly on my forehead, curled as natural, and dual locks of my blonde tresses were falling downward till they reached my throat.

I approached the non-manned bar, dodging a slimy looking alien who was about to slap my butt. He sighed as I left his table and got smothered with obscene comments from his group of equally sickening friends. I looked away and sat myself onto one of the barstools that sat innocently before the counter, which was riddled with a variety of alien language in black markers all along the material.

"Hey, chick," a gurgling voice came to my left. I looked over sharply at a deep emerald, deformed creature with spikes sticking out of his back insanely. His disturbing purple eyes were studying my chest area. Uncomfortable, I moved my arms in front of where he was staring at. "Whaddya say we go and cheel together at mah place? It isn't too fah uh walk..."

I smiled a flirty smile at him. "No thank you, I'm just here for a drink is all." I started searching for the bartender, wherever he was. A gritty sound screeched its way upward and to my ear.

"C'mon, baby." I froze when the same scruffily bubbling tone appeared behind me. "Ah insist..." I felt the spiky alien's hands clamp around my shoulders.

I whipped back to him, bringing up my elbow and cracking it into the side of his head. "Get away from me, creep!" I hollered in fury.

He stumbled, spitting out his tongue's curses and attempting to get back at me. But I got up first, standing on my stool and swing kicking my heel towards his rage-twisted face.

He was faster and grabbed my ankle. I lost balance and smacked my cheek into the bar's surface. Then he growled, hurling me across the bar and onto a table that was heaped with glasses stacked expertly into a pyramid. The crash was magnificent, and the shower of glass was even more as I covered my head from being sliced. A few of the shards cut through the wrists of my Zero Suit, poking my scalp through my hair.

A chorus of "Hey's!" and "Whoa's!" rang from the surrounding bar goers, and the men occupying the table I had been thrown into scattered and frowned. "That was a perfect replica of the Pyramid in Gizzaha!" one of them shouted, pulling at his tangled mass of shockingly pink hair. "You stupid, stupid girl!"

I sneered at him, saying acidly, "Get over it, punk." I got up from my place on the ground and jumped for that jerk, fists clenched as I launched myself at him.

"Feisty one, are w' broad?" his teeth were sharp. "How about ah cool that tempa?" Then he brought up his own fist and crunched it into my ribs.

The wind was knocked out of me and my foe seized this opportunity to take me by the hair and throw me again, this time towards the filthy floor. I did a quick flip, catching my breath and skidding on my feet, picking up the nearest barstool with a snarl on my scratched up face.

I sped towards him as he gaped at my snappy recovery, jaw wide open. I smirked and ran the stool into his head, beating him without mercy. The aliens around cringed and "Ooh'ed!" Snaps and pops resonated from his skull, and on the final blow before he passed out, I broke through his rough skin. The floor was wet with black blood. The scumbag's eyes closed, and he went quiet and still.

Not even panting, I set down the stool in front of the bar, sitting down blithely and crossing my legs. The Brig was pin drop silent. "Tough fox!" some guy whispered. I restrained myself from chuckling at both his remark, and my easy victory.

_"What in the name of Arondite is going on out here? I leave to take a break for one second and-" _A very angry being stomped through the curtains behind the bar, screaming at the top of their lungs. As soon as he came in, he stopped abruptly. "Where's Hiran?" Every alien in the Brig pointed down to the ground, their faces fearful. The person leaned over the counter and stared at the jade colored porcupine-like creature. "Poor guy, must've taken too many of his pills again...

"Well!" He snapped upright and clapped his five fingered, fleshy hands together. I could feel his disguised gaze on me, for he was wearing a cloak with a hood that matched the tinted surroundings. He was also relatively short. "What do we have here? A lass? Haven't seen one of you around these parts in a mighty long time!"

I smiled, asking politely, "I just came here to relax, sir. May I have a drink, please?"

He pulled out a few mugs that were dented and brownish. It was then that the man removed his hood, revealing him to be an aged human with chin length gray hair and a silver goatee on his stubby chin. His irises were completely turquoise, and glittered unnaturally. Despite being most likely shadowed beneath his clothes, he was very tan. "Don't speak to me in that tone of voice, gal, I'm not good with the mannerly types." A hint of Irish lingered on his words.

I chuckled. "Okay. What's your recommendation?"

"Victory is one of the best. But, sadly that's only for certain customers. Anything besides that?"

I drummed my fingers on the tabletop. "Well seeing as I totally beat the snot out of that guy shouldn't that make me a 'certain customer'?" I motioned towards pitiful Hiran, twitching on the ground.

The tender eyed him as well. "True..." he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "Eh, what the heck. Here! On the house cause you're so pretty." With that, he slid me a martini glass that was filled with amazingly bright liquid. The countertop was illuminated electric blue.

I thanked him and touched the drink. It was cold, but steamed and bubbled. I smelled it, finding that it had the scent of rocket fuel mixed with dandelions. _Strange combination..._ I thought to myself as I lifted the elixir to my lips. _Ah well. I'm on vacation._

"Hey, _Pigsly,"_ a clearly drunken alien said as he hobbled up to the counter. He was clenching a bottle of Earth wine, the crimson alcohol dripping down his chin. "What d'ya get when you cross a barten'er and a meal worker?"

The man at the desk sighed with morose, scraping crust off of his mugs. "What, Xorgon?"

Xorgon hiccuped, plopping himself down onto the barstool next to me and smiling stupidly. His eyes were rolling in their sockets. "A..." he didn't finish, for he immediately fell asleep on the spot and drooled over the counter.

"Ugh, these idiots'll be the death o' me..." the bartender huffed, scrubbing down the drinking cup under a flow of water from a tap. "I can't believe I actually made profit with this dump."

I smiled sympathetically. "At least you're making some money, right?"

He watched me peculiarly. "How much do _you _make girlie?"

I went quiet, and didn't respond, for the Brig's doors burst open. I looked back at the towering silhouette in the doorway. "G'day, everybody," the voice was obviously male, with a truly prominent Australian accent. "Mind if I step in?"

The figure strolled leisurely into the pub, hands in the pockets of his shorts. I got a clear look at him once the passage into the place had closed-

The alien was about eight foot, with dark, tanned skin and a smart smirk on his face. On either side of his head were a trio of yellow, mischievously glinting eyes, all with slitted cat pupils. A plume of deep red, spiky hair poofed out from the middle of both his small, pointed ears, and ran down his neck and about to his shoulder blades. His top lip curled down like a bird's beak, and his sleek smile was toothy. His chest was bare, with symbols that were painted onto his many muscles. His arms were strong and shiny with sweat, as were his tough legs. I noticed as I stared at his large feet that they only had three toes; two on the front, and one on the back. His claws were deep black, with scuffs on them. I marveled at the robust nature this stranger possessed.

"Oi, Cray! What's happening, brother?" the bartender shouted gleefully, raising his arms into the air in greeting. "It's been too long!"

The welcomed Cray continued smiling, reaching down and grabbing the barstool from beneath the snoozing alien. He carelessly wrenched it out from under him, sitting himself down and chillingly chortling as blood gushed from the poor alien's ears. "Not much, Bigsly. Just sightseeing is all. Thought I'd get a little break from Hirivio, y'know? What with all the crazy morons running about."

Bigsly -the bartender- agreed, smiling as well. "Good to hear. So, what can I do you for, pal?"

Cray scratched his chin, and I inquired by studying his hands that they too were three fingered, with two on on top, and his thumb to the side. There were also armed with the vicious looking ebony talons. "How about something to cool me off? Travelin' through space can really heat a guy up," he leaned closer. "If you know what I mean."

Bigsly nodded vigorously. "Sure thing, Cray! Anything for you." He took a mug and filled it to the top with a foul smelling fluid, offering it to his friend.

Cray stared at it, the six eyes unsatisfied. "What's this?" he said flatly.

Bigsly seemed to get nervous. "W-what do you mean? Isn't that what you always get?"

The creature next to me shook his head. "No. I always get Victory, not Failure." He raised his head and his gaze bore into the bartender's soul. "Did you by chance _run out?" _

"Well, somebody actually bought the last glass, Jack before you did. I mean, they had just... begged for it..." He twiddled his fingers in anxiety, flat out lying.

Cray chuckled. "Did they, now?" Apparently, he had not enough eyes to spot that I was holding the drink he desired so desperately for in my hand. "Well I guess I'll just hafta order something different..."

Bigsly nodded hastily. "Yes, Cray Jack. Something di-"

He cut off as Cray's arms shot forward, and he wrapped his hands brutally around the tender's neck. Bigsly's face flushed purple, and his mouth opened and closed for breath he couldn't get. His small fingers were scraping against Cray's large hands, making no difference in his grip. "I got an idea! How 'bout I order a cup of your blood, extra dry with your eyes as the olives? How's _that _for somethin' diff'rent, eh Bigsly?"

The man he was strangling merely choked and flailed his legs in fear as his face turned blue suddenly. "Ha ha ha!" he cackled as he shot Bigsly down the counter, knocking over glasses and jugs. With a boom, the bartender smashed into a pile of barrels at the wall, their liquid contents spraying everywhere. There was a large sucking sound as Bigsly tried to breathe again, but since all that fluid was cascading onto him, I was betting that he had difficulties.

Cray Jack placed his hands onto his hips and started to laugh again, listening to the splutters of Bigsly as he struggled against the current of liquor. I snarled. If being a jerk was one thing that got under my skin, it was laughing _and _being a jerk at the same time while somebody else suffered _really pissed me off. _All in all, injustice was what I hated.

I stared at the martini glass containing Victory, and as soon as Cray Jack turned around, dumped it all over him.

His eyes widened, and he fell silent. "You did all that just to get a stupid drink? How heartless are you?" I wasn't sure why I was suddenly yelling, but it felt good to let this anger out. "It's not enough that you almost killed the poor guy by strangling him but also trying to drown him? I'm disgusted with you! You're a terrible disgrace of an alien!" I stood there, hands clenched, and fuming as he rearranged his composure and got over himself.

Cray Jack shot me a gaze of smugness. He whistled. "Hoo, what do we have here? A dame in a _very _revealing bathing suit?" The rest of the bar men chuckled. "I say you've come to the wrong place. We don't have swimming pools here, sugar. That's in the next planet over, Archimes, which is made entirely of water. Would you mind if I escorted you? After all, you could lose your way by annoying the sh-"

"Shut up!" I cried, sneering at this sick man. I tightened my hand over my communication alerting monitor, which had buzzed. I held it up to my level and read the message typed on its screen. "What could they possibly want?"

I put it back on my hip. "Sorry, Cray, but I've gotta go. Hope you have a nice time licking that gasoline off you." I stormed past him, exiting the Brig with my temper flaring and my mind on other things.

Like the Galactic Federation's abrupt asking for a meeting.


	3. The Galactic Federation's Mistake

**Well, here goes! I'm updating and I will continue to more frequently, now. Hope you guys like it! Especially Chris the Cat... :P If anybody's read Power Hungry Fool, (my story) then you'll recognize a character in this chapter.**

** Enjoy!**

I approached my fighter, which was standing superiorly in the landing acre. I lowered the hatch with my voice command, then stepped onto it.

"Wait!"

I froze and turned back. Cray Jack was jogging towards me, waving his long arms. I snarled in disgust, but stopped for him.

"Why you leaving so soon, baby? I hope I didn't offend you," he said politely, offering me a stunning smile that I was surprised could form from his lips. "I was just... having fun."

I snorted. "Almost strangling someone isn't _my _idea of fun." I looked towards the interior of my ship, itching to get inside to incinerate him with the rockets.

"Why you worrying about Bigsly? He's like a cockroach, impossible to kill. Heck, he's not even human."

I raised an eyebrow. _"Really?_ What species is he then?"

Cray chuckled something low in his throat, which made my skin crawl. "Something else."

I rolled my eyes and twisted around.

He caught me by the ponytail. "C'mon, girl. I don't even know your name yet! At least give me your name so I can say I'm sorry, hmm?" His six, yellow eyes had suddenly flashed pleading. "You're making me feel simply rotten for the deeds I've done today."

I huffed, avoiding eye contact with the blinding ship that beamed a yard away. "Samus Aran."

He let go of my hair. "Samus... You're from...?"

"A Chozo planet, if you must know."

Cray's expression was amused. _"Really?_ Well, then I'm a Hirivion, born and raised on planet Hirivio, of course. Beautiful place. Crowded, but beautiful." Another stunning smile split his smart features.

I sniffed. "Huh. Nice to get to know you, then. I'll just be on my way..."

"I'd watch your back, Samus," he quickly said as my left foot touched the hatch. "You never know who or what could be prowling around the corner."

I stared at him. "I can take care of myself, thanks."

He smiled once more, lowering his head and folding his arms. "When will you be back?"

I froze, furrowing my eyebrows. "What?"

"When will y-"

"I heard that," I watched him closely. "Why are you worrying?"

He looked past me, shrugging and transferring his weight from one foot to the other. "I missed you wasting Hiran and wanted to see you do it again. That freak's always nagging me."

I dismissed his remark, finding it somewhat awkward. Ordering my ship to take me up, Cray Jack disappeared as I rose into the fighter. He stared at me through the windshield as I sat in my chair, igniting the engines. Then I watched a suspicious smirk replace Jack's stunning smile, and he lowered his head and walked away as I soared higher into the sky.

I stared after him till the clouds blocked Arondite's surface from my sight, thinking about his strange change of behavior. First roguish, like a jerk, then sweet, curious and kind. After that his skeptical grin and disappearance. I shivered. Something wasn't right.

I passed through Arondite's flimsily thin atmosphere, emerging out into barren space that was littered with billions of stars. I looked to the map, clicking around the galaxies till I found what I was searching for: the Galactic Federation Flagship _Olympus._ I sighed to myself, itching to say I was busy and couldn't come to their mysterious meeting. Ugh.

I found myself reluctantly pulling the thruster switch, lurching forward as the engines boomed to life. Laying back in my chair, I etched Cray Jack's face in my mind. I had a feeling I needed to remember him later.

Afterward I was kind of bored, so I pressed a button to my left and ran a biohazard scan on myself. As I waited for the results, I sighed. _Wouldn't be surprised if it read: Status: confused... _

**Samus Aran: pulse normal, emotions normal, vital signs normal...** It continued on with the average outcomes of my scan, but I shoved the monitor away and eyed the stars instead. Something was bothering me, I just couldn't figure out what it was; no matter how hard I tried. I sighed again.

Before I knew it, I entered Federation Grounds. The small ships darted to and fro spastically, but the larger vessels remained stationary and silent. My communication systems were going amok, the speakers sounding out random static and bleeps of voices. Little burps of conversations came from them:

"Errand-"

_Beep._

"Passage 62-"

"Larsen-"

_Beep._

I used the coordinates of the Olympus that were previously stored in my data banks, following them to where the enormous flagship was hovered in the Kalandor Region. I noticed immediately that the docking bays were crowded with dozens of ships, all of crude making, but armed with vicious looking weaponry. I stared at the vessels, wondering who else could possibly be visiting Olympus too.

I shrugged the thought off and approached the ship. As I did, crackling filled the cockpit, and I heard a voice on the speakers say, "Attention unknown vessel. We need your password-"

"Columbine, it's me, Samus." I interrupted, folding my arms at the soldier. "Do you _really _need my password?"

"Uh... well Dane asked me to-" David Columbine stuttered over the intercom.

"Dane can trust me, can't he? I'm not some nut job alien who's after his wife and children after all." I replied with a smile. Columbine was a relatively new army dog to the GF, and he wasn't thoroughly trained as a backup speaker agent.

"But the Admiral doesn't have any family!"

I laughed. "Exactly. So that means I won't be going after his wife and kids even _if _I had reasons to. So, will you let me get by without identification?"

David paused, his breath over the intercom cut short. He exhaled, pressing a switch. "Fine, Aran. You're free to pass."

I laid my palm down to a blipping console, it lighting up green and pushing the fighter forward. "Thanks, Columbine."

He groaned a, "Whatever." Then the line went dead.

Chuckling to myself, I drifted past the crowded docking sections, reading the IDs on the backs of the ships parked.

_Sexy Witch, _was written with grungy handwriting in black spray paint on a bulky battleship. _2Fast4U _the same penmanship, but in electric blue paint scrawled upon the skinniest one. _Scrap Metal _was printed on the smallest fighter in green.

I read others in the twenty or so squadron of cheap vessels, the majority of the words vulgar and taunting. Who were these guys, a bunch of sick freaks? I pushed on the motor to go faster.

I drove along the last ship, which was the biggest of the troop and also the most high tech. _FEATHER _was printed on the back in blood red, the _f, a, t, h_, and _r, _were dripping creepily.

"Feather?" I wondered to myself, head turning around as I passed the lead ship at a slower speed. I stared at the bloody letters, seeing something dark move across the window above them. _Crap, better get going... _I thought to myself, rushing away from the Feather vessel and to the more vacant bays.

I landed my ship into an empty one, the troopers around saluting at my presence. I stood and installed my Varia Suit in a flash of light, exiting my ship and stepping onto the Flagship's docking floor.

I walked past the troopers in their honoring positions. "As you were," I said to them, and immediately they snapped to alert with their weapons held in their arms. I approached a guard at the door to the end of the bay.

"Welcome back, Samus Aran. I congratulate you on your conquer over Dark Samus," He nodded at me. "I suppose you are here on request?"

"Yes. Admiral Dane wanted to hold a meeting," I replied, clenching and unclenching my fist within my arm cannon. _Targeting systems calibrated. _"Do you know where he is?"

The sentry stepped aside, gesturing to the blue, circular door. "The Aurora Chamber. We are working out a system glitch that is believed to be caused by the explosion from Phaaze. The Admiral is aiding with the repairs. You know where the Chamber is, right?"

I smiled at him. "Of course. Thank you." I walked forward and shot the door once, it opening to reveal the inside of Olympus.

I was about to go through it when the garrison stopped me. "Samus," I paused and looked at him over my shoulder. "There is someone up there you will know. An old friend per say."

I raised an eyebrow. "Who is it?" I didn't recall anybody from recent times that had actually _survived..._

He chortled, raising a hand to his head and saluting as the other troopers had did. "I hope you revel his return, Hunter."

I sighed to myself, exiting the docking bay without a second glance behind me. I quickened my pace through the corridors of Olympus, walking past the jump suited workers. "Hello, Samus," were most of the comments I received, and after I got tired of responding with another hello, I merely nodded to whoever addressed me.

242's words were reverberating around the halls of the Flagship, stating orders and behests for certain officers or doctors to go to specific floors.

I frowned as I remembered the Unit's panic when Norion was being infiltrated by the Space Pirates those months ago. My surroundings seemed far away when Rundas's words played in my head: _"That would've never happened if I'd been there..."_

"Whoa! It's Samus Ara-" someone shouted hysterically before I ran into them. "Oof!"

We collided and landed on the floor in a heap, armor clanking and a helmet clattering across the floor. I sat up and looked at whoever it was, gasping and freezing immediately.

"Jake?" I breathed, watching his astonished face. "Jake Larsen?"

He grinned, brushing his blonde hair from his sparkling green eyes. "Heck yeah, baby! I'm so glad you remembered!"

I gaped. "W-what are you doing here? Aren't you-" Jake interrupted me as he stood, pulling me to my feet by my hand.

"Where you been, Aran? I've missed ya!" My eyes widened. "Hey, I heard about your crazy awesome kick butt job you did on that twin of yours. You never told me you had a twin!" he was blabbing on and on, in his usual cheerful voice and big smile. Jake's teeth were perfectly white, and he pulled me next to him as we walked down the maintenance hall together.

I fought his grip, which was strangely strong. "Let go of me, Larsen!" I cried, cracking his wrist with a punch.

He held it closely. "Ouch! What was that for, Sammy?"

I glared at him. "What do you think? Remember what you did to me?" Jake's brilliant sapphire gaze lowered, and he stared at his feet. "Or have you forgotten that _and _when I told you not to ever touch me?"

"Sorry... I was just so thrilled to see you..." he muttered. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

I folded my arms. "How could I be happy to see the guy who tried to seduce me?" I thwacked him across the head with my gun, my gaze fury filled. "Who do you think you are, Jake?"

"I-" he began as blood flowed down his temple.

"A filthy pig, that's what!" I hollered, curling my hand into a fist that shook. "Leave me alone!" I turned on my heel and stomped down the hallway, fuming. That exit had better stop him from following me. _Jerk..._

"Samus! Wait!" Jake called after, his footfalls echoing mine. I pressed myself faster, firing a ball of energy at the shield upon the door. It opened, the command deck just beyond it.

Jake grabbed my arm. "Samus-"

"Get away from me!" Shrieking, I whipped around and shot Larsen with an ice missile. He careened backward and hit the far wall, sticking to it as the ice crept over his body. He fidgeted and grunted trying to break free.

I smirked, going through the door without yet _another _second glance behind me. I gritted my teeth and mumbled to myself. "Dirty, rotten, hunk of sh-"

"Samus!" someone else with a purring voice intervened my almost said cuss as I trudged up the catwalk to the Aurora Chamber's elevator.

I watched the woman clamber up to me. She was strange looking.

I stared at her. The lady's skin was deep purple, glossy, and hard appearing; like an insect's carapace. She was humanoid, with long and pretty maroon hair that was braided and reached the small of her back, and long, pointed ears. She had clacked up to me in approximately five-inch heels, but then I realized after studying them that they were actually part of her small feet. She was wearing a black tank top and matching black capris that were rolled up to her blue patched knees. Symbols were tattooed over her body, and her odd way of dress clashed with her shiny skin, dainty hands and feet, and glimmering golden eyes.

I cocked my head to the side. "I'm sorry, who are you?" I was absolutely sure I had never seen her before.

She smiled at me, her teeth ground sharp. "I apologize. My name is Yaari. I heard from the Admiral you were coming to Olympus and just had to see you. I'm a fan of yours."

I bit my lip. "Okay then, Yaari. Is there any reason you stopped me then?"

She shook her head. "No. I wanted to get a look at you is all."

Nodding, I slowly turned away. "I'll let you go, then. I have a meeting."

"Bye... Samus Aran..." Yaari uttered in a whisper behind me. I entered the elevator to the Aurora Chamber and stepped into the hologram. The lift rose, and I started to rise upward at a slant.

I was strangely popular today. First Columbine, then Jake, and now Yaari. Perhaps the extermination of Phazon had made me famous. Well... more famous than I was previously.

The elevator stopped at the top of the shaft. I peeked through the inactive door that was open to see the mechanics and Dane inside the Aurora Chamber. All of them were knelt around a computer's hard drive, which was tangled in a mass of multicolored wires.

I walked forward and into the AU Chamber, standing behind the group of men huddled over the CPU. Only Dane noticed me after a moment, quickly getting to his feet and saluting. "Thank you for acknowledging to my order so suddenly. I'm sorry I had to ruin your holiday."

I shrugged. "It's fine, Admiral. So, what did you need?"

He sighed. "A quick favor, then we'll get down to business," he lifted his hat and scratched his head, gesturing with his elbow to the jumble of cords. "Would it be too much to ask if you helped us with this?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. I'd be more than happy to." Dane made two of the mechanics move aside so I could kneel before the ball of cables. I picked up up two in separate hands, examining the large entwined mess. "How did this happen?"

"We're unsure. One of our Aurora Unit computer specialists came in this morning and found the lines like this. We've tried to run scans on whom was responsible by searching for fingerprints, but only found pricks on the surfaces." Dane said from above me.

"So whoever was responsible had claws, then?" I asked, turning my head and looking at the Admiral as he scratched his chin.

"Most accurately, Samus. Security has turned this place and the rest of the fleet upside down to find anybody with claws, but we've only kicked up dirt."

I snorted. "Whoever it was is pretty stealthy, huh? Have you attempted looking for the perpetrator with the cameras in here?"

"Negative. We don't have cameras in the Aurora Chamber."

I returned to untangling the wires in confusion. "Why not?"

"Safety reasons. We wouldn't want any unwanted company listening to our private conversations."

I nodded. "Makes sense. Hey..." I lifted a loose cord from the now semi-freed snarl, holding it up for all to see. "Is this part of the network?"

One mechanic with oversized glasses leaned forward. "No. We should probably snip it-" he reached for the gray cable with a pair of shears.

"Are you out of your mind?" Another engineer grabbed his hand with her teeth bared. "That could be something important! You wouldn't want to get rid of a link that could potentially be valuable, Mular!"

Mular huffed, adjusting his enormous goggles. "Whatever you say, Nite."

I pulled the last two wires away from each other, smiling at the lines that were tangle free. Standing, I looked to Dane, who was slowly nodding his head in pleasure. "Shall we?"

"Yes. The Aurora Unit, you and I will be holding this little meeting right here," the Admiral pointed at the raised pedestal that sat before the AU's foggy, cylindrical tank. "Ladies first."

I stepped up to the large, flat console, placing my hand on it and waiting for 242 to wake. The organic supercomputer did so, the misty glass clearing to reveal the brain like machine that was hooked to the Olympus. Her electronic gaze was fixed on Dane and I.

"Welcome back, Samus Aran. You are enjoying your vacation I presume?" she said, floating inside the water contained within her chamber. "Or are you finished with it already? Seeing as you are already before us."

I laughed softly. "I plan on continuing it once this briefing is over."

"Very well," the Aurora Unit began to state the reason I had been called here. "There has been a frantic breakout of Galactic Federation vessels becoming lost among the many galaxies and stars. We have come to the realization that because we have not updated our maps, we are losing our ships rapidly. In order to alter this predicament, we ordered a squadron of sixteen hundred Galactic Federation personnel on different vessels to map out the Universe and retrieve our lost scouts."

"Is that all?" I said in displeased wonder.

"No. In a far off sector, called I-9265, a cluster of new planets was discovered. Upon inspection of the six planets, we found that each of them had been overrun with aliens dubbed the Hirivion.

Hirivio, the largest planet in I-9265, is where they originated from, and have been spreading their numbers throughout this sector. We believe their mission is not peaceful, for they have conquered the mighty empires that reside on planets Zargus, Ionea, Trappe, Gou, and Majihol. We feared that after a full-scale attack from the Hirivion, the other galaxies would soon fall to the same fate as I-9265, and blocked the region entirely.

"We were holding up the rebellions and attempted confrontations for a few hours, until a few Hirivion saw through some of our blockade and escaped. Four of the five rogue Hirivion were retrieved and sent back to I-9265, but only one remains."

I turned on Dane. "You were stupid enough to think that you could map out the galaxy? This was bound to happen!"

He scowled at me with his droopy, wrinkled face. "Listen to Aurora Unit 242, Samus. She isn't finished."

I growled and looked back to the computer, resisting the urge to clock that guy in the face. Federation idiots...

"This is where you come in, Samus. We wish for you to find this elusive Hirivion and bring him back to us. We are offering nine hundred thousand dollars in bounty on his head, and trust you will be able to get him for us as soon as possible," 242 watched me intently. "Will you accept this assignment?"

I nodded. "I never back down."

"Good. We thank you deeply for this, Samus Aran. We will now give you the information you need to track down Cray Jack."

I froze. "Did you say Cray Jack?"

"Yes."

"Do you by chance know him?" Dane asked in awe.

I nodded. "Yeah! I saw him when you guys called me! Even spoke with him!"

"Perfect!" the Admiral whooped. "That'll make it _that_ much more easier then!" He was beaming from ear to ear.

"Then you must be going, Samus. We have no time to lose." The Aurora Unit said, and a download screen flashed before my eyes. The bar was filling up fast, and all the data I would use to catch Cray was being flung into a corner of the visor at my Logbook. I watched the details and caught a few of the topics. Weaknesses, likes, dislikes, family, appearance...

Once I saw his photo I knew. That jerk at Brig was going to be avenged. _Severely. _

The loading finished, and I was looking at the Aurora Unit again. "Are you ready?" she asked me.

I nodded. "I'll be-"

I cut off as an explosion came from behind us, and a flash of light followed after. Dane and I stared at the group of technicians who were blackened in the faces. "Sorry! The weird gray cable just blew!" the one with the gigantic spectacles shouted with a sheepish grin.

The Admiral and I sighed as he dismissed me, and I left the AU Chamber and rode the elevator down to the Command Deck again.

And who do I find waiting for me? None other than the bothersome creep Jake Larsen. His clothes were wet and creased, but his face was bright and ecstatic. "Sammy! There you are! Been looking all over Olympus for you!"

He came forward, arms open for a hug. I swept past him, glowering at him as I passed and preparing to possibly fire my Zero Laser.

"W-where you going, gorgeous? C'mon, I'll buy you a drink or something!" he said, coming to my side like an annoying stalker. "Why are you mad at me?"

"I already told you, freak," I hissed, tromping down the ramp and biting my tongue from releasing hundreds of words that would've knocked the greatest speller in the Universe to his knees. "Now leave me be before I burn you to a crisp."

"What was the reason again? I kinda forgot..." Jake mumbled, and I finally snapped.

In a mili second flat, I had Larsen pinned with the barrel of my gun on his face. The illuminated end made his features glow as he cowered into the wall, and I said angrily to him, _"Shut. Up."_

He nodded swiftly, his face wetter than his clothing from sweat. With a final glare that caused him to gasp, I released him and walked down the corridor and through a passageway alone.

The reason I was so upset? Well, for one thing, I was so bemused by Jake's sudden appearance that I became irate because I couldn't figure it out. Secondly, he had tried to convince me to marry him, and since he was such a dork, I refused.

Thirdly, Jake Samuel Larsen had died six years previous, and I had even attended his funeral and watched his body be consumed by flames in a crematorium.


	4. Feather

**Hey! These characters in this next chapter are mine! Don't anybody steal them, or you will be in huge trouble. (discounting Romulun, I don't own him, Chris the Cat does)**

Still cogitating the odd and bothersome appearance of Jake, I grumbled to myself while speed-walking through the halls and towards my ship. "Doesn't make sense... Came out of nowhere... Burning... Corpse..." I replayed seeing the fire engulfing the cardboard casket, wondering how in this world I would move on without my best friend.

But that was a long time ago. I certainly didn't feel that way _now_.

I decided to review my data to take my mind off of him. The sight of Cray Jack's face easily removed the anger I was harboring and transformed it into curiosity. How was one sole Hirivion loose in the stars a bad thing? Were they dangerous in any way? Why was locking them up in a Galaxy the number one priority for the Federation?

Why Cray?

I sighed and shook my head, strolling past that Yaari girl again. She stepped by in her crazily heeled feet, intentionally giving me no notice at all. I was confused. Wasn't she my 'biggest fan?' I slowed down and turned my head to watch her click around a corner. Before she disappeared, her golden eye flickered to me, and a sinister smile upturned the corner of her full-lipped mouth. Stopping, my feet almost took me after her, but I knew my next destination, and it wasn't wherever Yaari was going. I had to ignore her for now.

I came back round and resumed walking down the passage, all the while my eyes working at breakneck pace to read each article in the Cray files. Apparently, his full name was Cray Jack, he was indeed Hirivion, and his parents were killed during a revolt on planet Ionea. He is an only child, extremely smart with an IQ of 200, and superior in evasion and stealth. He was just as I had seen him in _Brig_, eight foot, cunning, six playful yellow eyes, deep red hair, dark skin, and armed with claws and experience. I continued to scroll through the paragraphs.

I almost did a double take at his age: 2,743. How in the world was he that old? He seemed no older than me at 22, he didn't even _look_ that aged. Based on his build and youthful voice, I figured he was a particularly young Hirivion. But I still couldn't quite grasp how they lived to be so old, and look so... good...

Ugh, what am I thinking? Cray Jack is a fugitive, whom I must collect at all costs. After pushing thoughts of him away from my head, I put the files back into my Logbook under the category _Bounty_, and completely forgot about everything but taking him and my reward once I was through. That was a lot of money on his head...

It was near the docking bay where my ship was that I saw _them. _Six mysterious looking beings that stuck out on Olympus like sore thumbs. I surveyed each of them closely...

The youngest one there was leaning against the wall looking terribly bored. He was human, lanky, and looked about fifteen, with slate gray irises that had no pupils. He stared off into the distance blankly, his gaze glossy. The shaggy hair that fell over his eyes partially was a sleek black, his skin contrasting it as corpse pale. He wore a tight fitting jumpsuit that was matching to his dark locks, and was armed with straps across his chest that harbored daggers, guns, and other sorts of weaponry.

The second oldest boy in the crowd seemed human, and nineteen. He had flaming orange hair that was spiked but flyaway, and his glowing green eyes were focused on a cigarette lighter he was igniting on and off. His skin was average, and marked only by a smooth scar that was etched under his right eye. I noticed he was dressed rather casually, in a loose teal t-shirt and baggy cargo pants. He wore heavy boots, whose toes tapped to the rhythm the headphones were blaring that the next person wore over their horns.

They were absolutely bizarre, though that reason I was still pondering on. The headphone wearing being caught my eye more than the pale boy had. He was very tall, with rough, scaly skin that was shiny bronze. His eyes were pure black, slanted, like a dragon's. Four fingers on both hands were clutched around a large iPod, clicking the buttons with the white claws on the tips. I thought he was some sort of deranged man till I saw the wings protruding out of his back, deep yellowish-brown and spiked on the tops. The sails of his wings were the charcoaled color of his eyes, very strong and could probably whip up gales swiftly. Sharp fangs sat atop the bottom lip of the long muzzle, and the nostrils on the snout were flaring and closing steadily. He wore nothing but a thick belt around the hips, which was filled with grenades.

Next to the monster was a burly thing about nine feet in height. This cyborg looking beast was heavily armored from head to foot, the plating grungy and adorned with scratches and dents. The helmet was bowl shaped, the curved top rising sharply upward on a dull spike. A single, jutting eye was in the middle of the head wear, glimmering red and focused intently downward on who it was talking to.

The man chatting to the robot was relatively short, and had a deep voice. I could only tell those features on him, for he was clothed in a flowing purple cloak and hood that disguised what he looked like.

I continued on the last two men, who seemed the most normal out of this odd clutter of lifeforms. One of them, wearing a long white lab coat with brass buttons stood solitary, his eyes masked by the goggles he had over his paled skin. I noticed that his hair was deep brown and rough, making it look like he had just awoken. Long, ugly scars dripped from his scalp, running down his expressionless face down to his cheekbones. I noticed that his jaw was set, mouth in a tight line as he fumbled with a syringe in his black gloved hand.

The final 'ordinary' man was conversing to a GFED personnel. He was middle-aged; not too old, not too young. His profile was visible, and I found myself staring at a dark eye patch covering his right eye. He had a friendly looking face, despite the dozens of _yet more _scars that tattooed him. A short, ebony, thin mustache topped his upper lip below his nose, and a small, matching colored soul patch dotted his heroic chin. His jawbone was bold, making him look ten times tougher than that robotic character I had previously inspected. The smooth black hair that cropped his head wasn't oily or tousled like the orange head's was, and he was clothed rather nicely in a navy blue vest with a white under shirt and dark sapphire dress pants.

I then saw the red sewn word on his sleeve, and went stiff.

_Feather._

Quickening my pace, and keeping my gaze off the frightening party, I bit my lip. They were the owners of those creepy ships parked outside the Olympus. I sped by them, trying to look inconspicuous even though I was internally freaking out. There was something else that was bothering me about that name, but no matter how hard I thought, nothing but a nagging, blurry memory appeared. I grunted to myself as I passed the Feathers, shooting the shield on the door and stepping through to the dock.

Crossing the floor in swift strides, I totally ignored the salutes and compliments about my triumphs from the soldiers. The sentry tried to catch my attention, but I shrugged it off and didn't even glance at him. Stepping onto my ship and ordering it upward, I paid little heed to the eye patched man's mahogany stare that bore into me as I rose into my fighter.

Sitting hard in my chair, I shoved the buttons harshly down, demanding to get to Arondite. My ship was being aggravatingly slow at this moment, and I screamed at it to hurry up. As it obeyed (finally), I laid back in the seat and exhaled, trying to calm my shot nerves. _Why in the world was I flipping over this?_ I couldn't face the fact that I was overreacting to a few syllables and some stitched letters on a shirt. Practically tugging the thruster lever out of its socket, my vessel at last got airborne, leaving the docking bay and entering hyper jump at nearly 600 miles an hour.

Streaking across the stars, I closed my eyes and concentrated on the beats of my heart. _Thump... thump... thump..._ It was an infinite pattern, as was my breathing and ticks of my racing thoughts. "Calm, come to peace with your inner soul, Hatchling. Being worried is no way to begin the day, Samus," I recalled the wisdom of the Chozo that raised me, smiling that I still remembered his teachings. His kind emotions stuck out to me, and I started to relax. _Thanks, dad,_ I thought merrily, visualizing him.

I also thought of someone else, and frowned. The sight of his body being impaled, the sounds of his screams, and horridness of his blue blood raining from the ice spears crumbled my rest. I became cold. _Darn it, Rundas!_

Because I was going so fast through space, I arrived at Arondite before I knew it. The ship heaved to an abrupt and breath-knocking stop, causing me to be flung from my chair and onto the ground in a heap. Getting up and clenching my teeth in pain -I had landed on an open tool box- I stood and readied every weapon in my arsenal to retrieve Cray Jack. He wasn't back sassing me today. More or less escaping with a skip in his step. I cocked my plasma beam, smirking.

Piloting manually to Arondite's surface, I considered the places he would be. Brig. That was pretty much it. I scowled in confusion. I couldn't tell whether this would be easy or difficult.

Guess I'd just have to find out. I smirked again.

Landing passed in a blur as I imagined Cray's shock when I took him in. This would be pleasant, and I couldn't wait anymore, so I hopped out of the fighter and onto the crunchy pebbles, walking proudly towards Brig. It seemed unchanged from the outside, still foul with dirt and thugs. At least I was properly armed this time. There would be no mercy for Cray Jack.

I busted through the double doors, entering the familiar tavern. It was still populated with nasty alien men, all of them looking towards me simultaneously. Bigsly, the now somehow all right bartender glanced as well, and went statue stiff with the rest of the bar. The glasses he had been grasping crashed to the gritty floor.

"Samus?"

"Samus _Aran?"_

"That can't be her! She wouldn't come here... would she?"

"It is her, you dolt! Isn't that armor proof enough fer ya?" Whispered conversations buzzed about at my presence.

I took a step forward, the place falling pin drop quiet as before. "Where is he?" I asked aloud in a stern voice.

Someone coughed. It took a few moments for Bigsly to gain up the courage to speak up. "Who, S-s-samus?" he stuttered, ice blue eyes like saucers.

I walked further into Brig, looking at each and every bar patron. A few near the edges of the littered pathway cringed from me, their eyes wide too. "Cray Jack," I said slowly, scouring the terrified faces for the Hirivion's. I couldn't find him. "I know he's hiding here somewhere, now where is he?"

A few heads turned to others, chattering lowly and in fear. The majority stayed watching me, ready to book it out of Brig in case I decided to fire some shots. But I kept my finger away from the trigger, out of temptation's reach, luckily for them.

"We don't have him, Samus," Bigsly stuttered, tone barely audible. "If I'm allowed to ask... what do ya want with 'im?"

I chuckled. "If you're asking that question, then he's got to be around this junk heap." I strolled to the counter, the only alien occupying the stool there diving off and scuttling away, whimpering and leaving his jug of alcohol unattended. "You're trying to see that if you give him to me, you might be rewarded..." I said coolly, staring at the bartender with a raised eyebrow. "...eh, Bigsly?"

He swallowed, a bead of sweat running down his temple. I sighed. "I've asked nicely. Don't make me take him by force." I raised my cannon in a swift movement, the glowing barrel of plasma on Bigsly's trembling face. The bar goers gasped. "Now, where is Cray Jack?"

He merely shook his head, killing my hopes that he would comply. "Please?" I asked a final time, the targeting system aimed right between his eyes. "I don't want to make a mess." Bigsly sweated vigorously now, and with a quivering lip, he whined: "In the storage!" The beat up door to my left was gestured at by his madly shaking finger. "Don't shoot me, Samus Aran, I beseech you!"

Smiling kindly, I lowered my weapon. "Thanks, Bigsly," I watched him stiffen less considerably. "By the way," removing my helmet, and letting my ponytail unfurl, I nodded at him. "thanks for treating me so kindly. I appreciate it."

When my helmet was gone, the entire bar was taken over by an air of complete flabbergasted shock. I felt every eye on me, and nearly heard all jaws drop in stun. "It's the tough fox!" someone exclaimed; the same voice from before, after I had conquered Hiran. Putting my head gear back on, I went to the storage access door, grinning the entire walk over to it.

I opened it quickly, entering. I stopped in my tracks as I heard a series of pops, signaling that a gun was being loaded. My sight found Cray Jack, standing in the corner of the shelves lined with drinks. His eyes were blazing with caution, a stiff line his once sneering mouth. His ears were down low on his head, and while in a fighting stance with his knees bent, the still position of the rifle he had in hands was locked onto me. "So you found me," he said in a monotone, clearly unhappy voice.

I shrugged. "I'm a hunter. It's what I do for a living."

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted Bigsly. He can't hold up a lie, that squealer," Cray grumbled, his teeth sharp as he talked through them. "I'd heard some chick was coming after me, though I never thought those cowards would send the famous Samus Aran." His tone was angered and betrayed.

"I have quite a reputation. Why wouldn't they?" I smiled, keeping myself as unmoving as possible. That gun looked harmless, but I knew by the package of bullets that sat near his feet, those were enhanced projectiles, ones that could pierce through anything. Even Chozo made armor. "The most skilled evader, versus the most skilled tracker."

"I suppose so," he growled. "What do you plan to do, Samus? Talk me into coming with you? Or are you going to fight me?"

I straightened up. "I'm not much a talker, so I think I'll just battle you!" I shot forward, cannon ready to fire.

"Good!" Cray's toothy smile was disturbing as he shouted in a vengeful voice: "I've been itching to kill someone!"

We came at each other at high speed, colliding in a flurry of weapon fire and punches. He was good at dodging, but I was most capable at aiming his pressure points with my plasma cannon. A few times the smell of his sizzling skin filled the air, but that was quickly replaced by the stench of alcohol.

Cray grabbed me by the shoulder pad, hurling me across the room and into one of the shelves. An explosion of wine came after my contact, the liquid blinding me temporarily and making my head spin. I shook off the dizzy feeling and wiped my visor, only to see his snarling face coming at me with a fist cracking into me head on.

The screen fuzzed out, and afterward a split appeared across the glass. I rolled to the side, escaping another punch that made Cray cry out. Once my visor cleared, I looked at his bloody knuckles, glass shards sticking out of them. He furiously grabbed a handful, yanking them from his skin and hollering. I seized this opportunity to thwack him across the back of the head with my gun.

He wasn't expecting that, and fell forward, struggling to remain conscious. I got to my feet, darting to the sill heaped with beverages. I laid my hand and arm gun on the edge, pushing with all my might. The huge shelf began to tip with a groan.

I stood back and watched Cray's eyes go wide and his mouth open to scream. But he never succeeded, and was flattened by the might and weight of the cabinet that fell onto his body.

After the breaking glass quieted, I glimpsed my prey's hand from under the shelf. He was motionless, but right when I stepped towards him, the hand curled into a fist. His other hand appeared, and he dragged himself halfway from the wreckage, cut and bleeding. "I'll have y'know, girl... I don't die easy..." he mumbled with a sadistic grin, eyes flashing with malice.

I pointed my weapon down to him, face hard with concentration.

A boom sounded outside the storage room, shaking the floor with dust cascading from the ceiling. Cray and I both looked around, wondering what that tremor was. Then the ceiling overhead utterly disintegrated, a huge transporter ship lowering itself till the belly only just topped the room.

Its hatch opened, and the cyborg from Olympus hopped out, a wide, rotted toothed grin spreading over his face. He laughed, the fire haired boy and pale kid joining him with large guns in their hands.

I looked to Cray as he grunted, "That's my queue-" and roared. He broke through the shelf, hopping to his feet and dashing across the glass strewn ground to the open door. I heard him pushing through the bar attendants in the next room over, shrieking, "Out of my way!"

My company didn't seem to take notice of him, and watched me with gut-wrenching smirks on their faces. I readied myself for a fight.

Then Yaari, the cloaked figure, and dragon joined the three already standing before me. They too, were armed.

"What is this? Who are you?" I asked.

The last person jumped from the ship. The eye patched man with the stitched _FEATHER _on his shoulder came forward, smiling in a nonchalant way. He looked at me closely, arms behind his back. "We are the Feather Corp., Samus. I am Romulun," he laid a hand on his chest. "And these are N'rock, Shar, Xalt," he motioned to the cyborg first, then the flamed haired teen, and the dead looking boy. "...Yaari, Glin, and Brek." The purple insect woman's, the hooded figure's, and the dragon's names were all revealed.

I stared at Romulun, trying to comprehend what was happening. They had followed me here? And were answering my request?

"As for what this is, well it's a burglary, per se," Romulun continued, his smile still eerily cheerful. He snapped his fingers before I could even wonder what he meant.

I then was jumped by N'rock, who sped forward almost invisibly and caught me in a headlock. Squirming, I tried to go against him, only to receive a powerful punch to the gut by my capturer. I sucked in air as much as I could, but not much entered my lungs.

Someone else came by, but I could only see their booted feet. Something pricked the back of my neck. It was slight at first, but then became painful and burning. I howled almost mutely, twisting around and watching my Logbook be opened and the files on Cray Jack be removed from my Bounty category at incredible speed.

"No, no, no!" my words were choked.

The data hack was complete, and I was released. But just as I was about to get up, a sharp blow to the back of my skull rendered me unconscious.

_"Thanks, Sammy..."_


End file.
